Lemmings Plus series Challenges

[namida]

EDIT: I have closed this topic as it'll be easier to keep track of these things via the Replay Database, once the Lemmings Plus games are added.

Here's some challenges for my packs Lemmings Plus DOS Project and Lemmings Plus II (and the bonus pack), and Lemmings Plus III.

(Quick download link: Lemmings Plus Twinpack)

Feel free to ask for a replay for any of mine if you want. And of course I'll update the list with any improved results.
Anything listed in parenthesis means (for the can't live without) means that the skills that aren't listed haven't been properly checked yet, and the values given are minimums for those that have.

Just to be clear: These challenges are based on the final standard release of each game (NOT the NeoLemmix versions; or in LPIII's case, not the versions included in the general NeoLemmix update collections). In other words, the correct versions to use for this topic are:
LPDOS V9
LPII V4/2/4*
LPII Bonus Pack V2/2/3*
LPIII V3 / V1.15n**
LPIII Bonus Pack V2 / V1.23n-C
HLP V1 / V1.24n-C
LPO V2 / V1.27n-B

* These versions of the LPII and LPII Bonus Pack players don't show any version number at all. One way to test if you have these versions is to try accessing a secret level with cheat codes; this is not possible in any traditional Lemmix versions except these ones.
** Note that the LPIII player reports itself as "Levels V2 Player V1.15n". However, if the Player version is V1.15n, then the levels are V3; this is just an incorrect text in the player.

Just for in case any solutions might rely on finer details of the mechanics, here are the mechanics details for LPDOS and LPII:

Lemmings Plus DOS Project
- Uses Orig mechanics as a base
- Bombers skip the countdown and go straight to "OhNo" (or the explosion, if they're also fallers)

Lemmings Plus II
- Uses OhNo mechanics as a base
- The pause-for-time glitch does not work
- The nuke glitch does not work
- The one-way-right miner glitch does not occur (right-facing miners can dig through one-way-right walls)
- All other glitches (eg. sliding) still work

Skills you can't live without

Lemmings Plus DOS Project
Mild 10: 10 Climbers
Mild 19: 1 Builder
Mild 21: 5 Builders
Mild 22: 6 Bombers
Mild 27: 2 Builders
Mild 28: 1 Builder
Others: None

TOTAL for Mild: 10 Climbers, 6 Bombers, 9 Builders

Wimpy 2: 1 Builder
Wimpy 3: 1 Builder
Wimpy 4: 7 Builders
Wimpy 9: 5 Builders
Wimpy 10: 1 Builder
Wimpy 12: 1 Climber, 1 Blocker, 3 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
Wimpy 15: 1 Builder
Wimpy 16: 9 Builders
Wimpy 17: 1 Builder
Wimpy 23: 1 Builder
Wimpy 24: 6 Builders
Wimpy 26: 1 Builder
Wimpy 27: 3 Diggers
Wimpy 29: 1 Basher, 1 Digger
Wimpy 30: 5 Builders
  Others: None

TOTAL for Wimpy: 1 Climber, 1 Blocker, 45 Builders, 2 Bashers, 1 Miner, 4 Diggers

Medi 2: 1 Builder
Medi 4: 1 Climber, 1 Bomber, 1 Builder
Medi 5: 3 Bombers
Medi 6: 2 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 1 Basher, 2 Miners
Medi 8: 2 Builders
Medi 10: 2 Floaters, 1 Blocker, 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
Medi 11: 1 Builder
Medi 12: 2 Builers, 2 Bashers
Medi 15: 2 Bombers, 1 Builder
Medi 16: 1 Climber, 1 Bomber, 1 Blocker, 3 Builders, 1 Miners
Medi 17: 3 Bombers
Medi 18: 1 Blocker, 2 Builders, 1 Basher
Medi 19: 1 Builder
Medi 20: 2 Builders
Medi 21: 2 Climbers, 3 Bombers, 2 Miners
Medi 22: 1 Builder
Medi 23: 3 Builders, 1 Basher
Medi 24: 2 Builders, 1 Basher, 2 Miners
Medi 25: 4 Builders
Medi 27: 1 Builder
Medi 28: 2 Climbers, 1 Builder
Medi 29: 1 Builder, 1 Basher
Medi 30: 3 Builders, 1 Bashers
Others: None

TOTAL for Medi: 12 Climbers, 2 Floaters, 16 Bombers, 7 Blockers, 37 Builders, 12 Bashers, 10 Miners, 1 Digger

Danger 2: 1 Floater, 14 Builders
Danger 3: 1 Climber, 2 Bombers
Danger 4: 7 Builders, 1 Basher
Danger 5: 1 Builder, 1 Miner
Danger 6: 1 Climber, 1 Floater, 1 Builder
Danger 7: 1 Miner
Danger 8: 3 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
Danger 9: 13 Climbers, 1 Builder, 14 Diggers
Danger 10: 13 Builders
Danger 11: 1 Climber, 4 Builders, 3 Miners
Danger 12: 9 Climbers, 1 Builder, 1 Digger
Danger 13: 1 Bomber, 1 Blocker, 5 Builders
Danger 14: 5 Builders
Danger 15: 2 Climbers, 2 Blockers, 1 Builder, 1 Miner
Danger 16: 1 Floater, 2 Bombers, 1 Builder
Danger 17: 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
Danger 18: 24 Builders
Danger 20: 1 Builder
Danger 21: 4 Builders, 2 Bashers, 1 Miner
Danger 22: 6 Builders, 1 Basher
Danger 23: 3 Builders, 1 Basher
Danger 24: 1 Builder
Danger 25: 1 Builder, 1 Basher
Danger 26: 3 Builders
Danger 27: 5 Climbers, 5 Floaters
Danger 28: 3 Bashers
Danger 29: 1 Builder
Danger 30: 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
   Others: None

TOTAL for Danger: 40 Climbers, 9 Floaters, 7 Bombers, 6 Blockers, 98 Builders, 16 Bashers, 9 Miners, 23 Diggers

PSYCHO 1: 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
PSYCHO 2: 1 Floater, 1 Blocker, 2 Builders
PSYCHO 3: 3 Climbers, 1 Bomber, 3 Builders, 2 Bashers, 2 Miners
PSYCHO 4: 15 Climbers, 3 Bombers, 1 Blocker, 3 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
PSYCHO 5: 10 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 1 Builder, 20 Bashers
PSYCHO 6: 13 Builders, 5 Bashers
PSYCHO 7: 2 Bombers, 3 Builders, 1 Basher
PSYCHO 8: 4 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
PSYCHO 9: 2 Bombers, 1 Blocker, 7 Builders, 2 Bashers
PSYCHO 10: 3 Bombers
PSYCHO 11: 1 Bomber
PSYCHO 12: 1 Climber, 16 Floaters, 16 Builders
PSYCHO 13: 3 Builders, 2 Bashers
PSYCHO 14: 9 Builders, 2 Diggers
PSYCHO 15: 1 Climber, 2 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
PSYCHO 16: 7 Builders, 1 Basher
PSYCHO 17: 1 Blocker, 4 Bashers
PSYCHO 18: 2 Climbers, 1 Floater, 2 Builders, 3 Bashers, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
PSYCHO 19: 1 Floater, 1 Blocker, 11 Builders, 3 Bashers, 1 Digger
PSYCHO 20: 1 Climber, 5 Builders
PSYCHO 21: 1 Floater, 2 Bombers, 1 Blocker, 2 Builders
PSYCHO 22: 2 Builders
PSYCHO 23: 1 Builder, 2 Diggers
PSYCHO 24: 15 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 3 Builders, 1 Basher
PSYCHO 25: 1 Climber, 1 Bomber, 11 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
PSYCHO 26: 2 Blockers, 2 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
PSYCHO 27: 2 Builders, 1 Basher
PSYCHO 29: 1 Builder
PSYCHO 30: 1 Bomber, 1 Blocker, 1 Basher
   Others: None

TOTAL for PSYCHO: 52 Climbers, 20 Floaters, 20 Bombers, 12 Blockers, 121 Builders, 60 Bashers, 9 Miners, 8 Diggers

Lemmings Plus II
Nice 01: 1 Climber, 3 Bashers
Nice 02: 1 Builder, 1 Miner
Nice 03: 3 Bombers
Nice 04: 1 Builder
Nice 05: 1 Builder
Nice 06: 1 Builder
Nice 08: 2 Builders
Nice 11: 11 Builders
Nice 12: 2 Builders, 1 Basher
Nice 13: 1 Builder
Nice 15: 48 Floaters
Nice 16 (Secret): 2 Builders
Nice 19: 1 Floater, 1 Builder
Nice 20: 1 Builder
Others: none
(Nice 21: none)

Cheeky 01: none
Cheeky 02: 1 Builder, 1 Basher
Cheeky 03: 2 Builders
Cheeky 04: 7 Builders
Cheeky 05: none
Cheeky 06: 1 Floater, 2 Builders
Cheeky 07: 3 Builders
Cheeky 08: 6 Climbers
Cheeky 08 (secret): 4 Builders
Cheeky 09: 2 Climbers, 2 Floaters, 1 Blocker, 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
Cheeky 10: 56 Floaters
Cheeky 11: 5 Builders, 1 Basher
Cheeky 12: 1 Bomber, 1 Miner
Cheeky 13: 3 Climbers, 6 Bombers
Cheeky 14: 4 Builders
Cheeky 15: 2 Climbers, 2 Bombers, 6 Builders, 1 Bashers, 3 Miners
Cheeky 16: 3 Bombers, 1 Builder
Cheeky 17: 3 Builders
Cheeky 18: 5 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
Cheeky 19: 2 Bashers
Cheeky 20: 2 Climbers, 1 Bomber, 6 Builders, 1 Basher, 3 Miners
(Cheeky 21: )

Sneaky 01: 2 Builders
Sneaky 02: 2 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 3 Builders, 4 Bashers, 4 Diggers
Sneaky 03: 4 Builders
Sneaky 04: 2 Builders
Sneaky 05: 1 Climber, 10 Floaters, 4 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
Sneaky 06:
Sneaky 07:
Sneaky 08:
Sneaky 09:
Sneaky 10:
Sneaky 11:
Sneaky 12:
Sneaky 13:
Sneaky 13 (secret): 2 Climbers, 2 Floaters, 2 Builders, 2 Bashers
Sneaky 14: 56 Floaters
Sneaky 15:
Sneaky 16:
Sneaky 17:
Sneaky 18:
Sneaky 19:
Sneaky 20:
(Sneaky 21: )

Cunning 01: 1 Digger
Cunning 02:
Cunning 03:
Cunning 04: 11 Bombers
Cunning 05:
Cunning 06:
Cunning 07: 1 Builder, 1 Basher
Cunning 08:
Cunning 09:
Cunning 09 (secret): 4 Builders, 1 Miner
Cunning 10:
Cunning 11:
Cunning 12:
Cunning 13: 1 Floater, 1 Bomber, 1 Blocker, 1 Basher, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
Cunning 14:
Cunning 15:
Cunning 16:
Cunning 17:
Cunning 18:
Cunning 19:
Cunning 20:
(Cunning 21: 68 Floaters)

Genius 01:
Genius 02:
Genius 03:
Genius 04:
Genius 05:
Genius 06:
Genius 06 (secret): 2 Builders, 2 Bashers
Genius 07:
Genius 08:
Genius 09: 40 Floaters
Genius 10:
Genius 11:
Genius 12:
Genius 13:
Genius 14:
Genius 15:
Genius 16:
Genius 17:
Genius 18:
Genius 19:
Genius 20:
(Genius 21: )

Lemmings Plus II Bonus Pack

Trial 1: 2 Builders, 2 Bashers
Trial 2:
Trial 3:
Trial 4:
Trial 5:
Trial 6:

Challenge 1:
Challenge 2:
Challenge 3:
Challenge 4:
Challenge 5:
Challenge 6:
Challenge 7: 4 Blockers

Reverse 1: none
Reverse 2: none
Reverse 3:
Reverse 4:
Reverse 5:
Reverse 6:

Flight 1: none
Flight 2:
Flight 3:
Flight 4:
Flight 5:
Flight 6:
Flight 7:

Rush 1: 8 Diggers
Rush 2: 60 Builders
Rush 3: 80 Floaters
Rush 4:
Rush 5: 64 Climbers, 64 Floaters
Rush 6: 66 Bombers

Lemmings Plus III

Timid 1: 1 Builder
Timid 2: 1 Builder
Timid 4: 2 Climbers
Timid 5: 2 Builders
Timid 6: 2 Builders
Timid 10: 1 Builder
Timid 11: 2 Builders
Timid 14: 2 Floaters, 3 Builders
Timid 15: 2 Builders
Others: none
Total for Timid: 2 Climbers, 2 Floaters, 14 Builders

Dodgy 1: 5 Builders
Dodgy 2: 1 Climber, 4 Builders, 1 Basher
Dodgy 3: 1 Climber, 1 Bomber, 3 Builders, 1 Basher
Dodgy 4:
Dodgy 5:
Dodgy 6: 200 Floaters
Dodgy 7:
Dodgy 8:
Dodgy 9:
Dodgy 10:
Dodgy 11: 1 Climber, 1 Builder, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
Dodgy 12:
Dodgy 13:
Dodgy 14:
Dodgy 15:
Dodgy 16:
Dodgy 17: 2 Bombers, 1 Blocker, 2 Builders, 1 Basher, the Nuke
Dodgy 18: 2 Climbers, 1 Bomber, 5 Builders, 1 Miner, 1 Digger

Rough 1: 1 Climber, 1 Floater, 3 Blockers, 3 Builders, 2 Bashers, 1 Miner
Rough 2: 19 Builders
Rough 3:
Rough 4: 3 Climbers, 1 Basher, 1 Miner
Rough 5:
Rough 6: 1 Floater, 1 Digger
Rough 7:
Rough 8:
Rough 9:
Rough 10:
Rough 11:
Rough 12:
Rough 13:
Rough 14: 5 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
Rough 15:
Rough 16:
Rough 17:

Fierce 1: 1 Climber, 1 Floater, 1 Bomber, 2 Builders, 1 Basher, 1 Digger
Fierce 2:
Fierce 3:
Fierce 4:
Fierce 5:
Fierce 6: 2 Climbers, 2 Bombers, 4 Blockers, 4 Builders, 2 Bashers, 2 Diggers
Fierce 7:
Fierce 8: 3 Climbers, 1 Floater, 2 Bombers, 2 Blockers, 4 Builders, 2 Bashers, 1 Miner
Fierce 9:
Fierce 10: 1 Climber, 1 Blocker, 4 Builders, 2 Bashers, 2 Miners, 1 Digger
Fierce 11:
Fierce 12:
Fierce 13: 1 Climber, 1 Builder, 1 Basher, 1 Miner, 1 Digger
Fierce 14:
Fierce 15:
Fierce 16:
Fierce 17:

Lemmings Plus III Bonus Pack
TBA when there are at least some results

Holiday Lemmings Plus
Glimmer 1: none
Glimmer 2: none
Glimmer 3: none
Glimmer 4: 1 Basher
Glimmer 5: none
Glimmer 6: none

Arctic 1:
Arctic 2:
Arctic 3:
Arctic 4:
Arctic 5:
Arctic 6:

Minimum Skills

Lemmings Plus DOS Project
Mild:
1: 0
2: 1
3: 1
4: 1
5: 2
6: 2
7: 4
8: 1
9: 1
10: 10
11: 5
12: 3
13: 4
14: 5
15: 2
16: 6
17: 2
18: 2
19: 7
20: 7
21: 7
22: 6
23: 3
24: 2
25: 4
26: 4
27: 4
28: 4
29: 7
30: 4

Wimpy:
1: 2
2: 3
3: 4
4: 7
5: 3
6: 2
7: 4
8: 5
9: 10
10: 14
11: 2
12: 7
13: 3
14: 6
15: 4
16: 12
17: 10
18: 3
19: 6
20: 5
21: 14
22: 0
23: 11
24: 18
25: 7
26: 4
27: 3
28: 10
29: 3
30: 14

Medi:
1: 8
2: 8
3: 4
4: 6
5: 3
6: 9
7: 2
8: 4
9: 3
10: 6
11: 16
12: 7
13: 4
14: 3
15: 3
16: 18
17: 4
18: 4
19: 9
20: 4
21: 10
22: 5
23: 9
24: 5
25: 9
26: 9
27: 4
28: 24
29: 3
30: 15

Danger:
1: 4
2: 15
3: 3
4: 13
5: 5
6: 3
7: 3
8: 6
9: 28
10: 13
11: 10
12: 16
13: 11
14: 10
15: 12
16: 6
17: 4
18: 24
19: 13
20: 5
21: 7
22: 7
23: 7
24: 6
25: 3
26: 11
27: 10
28: 15
29: 14
30: 7

PSYCHO:
1: 4
2: 6
3: 11
4: 24
5: 38
6: 18
7: 7
8: 6
9: 16
10: 3
11: 9
12: 37
13: 12
14:
15:
16: 8
17: 6
18: 10
19:
20: 17
21:
22:
23: 3
24:
25:
26: 22
27:
28:
29:
30: 7

Lemmings Plus II
Nice 01:  5
Nice 02:  2
Nice 03:  5
Nice 04: 14
Nice 05:  4
Nice 06:  1
Nice 07:  5
Nice 08:  7
Nice 09:  1
Nice 10:  3
Nice 11: 11
Nice 12: 10
Nice 13:  2
Nice 14:  9
Nice 15: 48
Nice 16:  1
Nice 16 (secret):
Nice 17:  4
Nice 18:  4
Nice 19:  9
Nice 20: 12
(Nice 21: 11)

Cheeky 01:  8
Cheeky 02:  2
Cheeky 03:  6
Cheeky 04:  9
Cheeky 05:
Cheeky 06:
Cheeky 07:
Cheeky 08:
Cheeky 08 (secret):
Cheeky 09: 56
Cheeky 10:
Cheeky 11:
Cheeky 12:
Cheeky 13:
Cheeky 14:
Cheeky 15:
Cheeky 16:
Cheeky 17:
Cheeky 18: 3
Cheeky 19:
Cheeky 20:
(Cheeky 21: )

Sneaky 01:
Sneaky 02:
Sneaky 03:
Sneaky 04:
Sneaky 05:
Sneaky 06:
Sneaky 07:
Sneaky 08:
Sneaky 09:
Sneaky 10:
Sneaky 11:
Sneaky 12:
Sneaky 13:
Sneaky 13 (secret):
Sneaky 14: 56
Sneaky 15:
Sneaky 16:
Sneaky 17:
Sneaky 18:
Sneaky 19:
Sneaky 20:
(Sneaky 21: )

Cunning 01:
Cunning 02:
Cunning 03:
Cunning 04: 11
Cunning 05:
Cunning 06:
Cunning 07:
Cunning 08:
Cunning 09:
Cunning 09 (secret):
Cunning 10:
Cunning 11:
Cunning 12:
Cunning 13:
Cunning 14:
Cunning 15:
Cunning 16:
Cunning 17:
Cunning 18:
Cunning 19:
Cunning 20:
(Cunning 21: 68)

Genius 01:
Genius 02:
Genius 03:
Genius 04:
Genius 05:
Genius 06:
Genius 06 (secret):
Genius 07:
Genius 08:
Genius 09: 40
Genius 10:
Genius 11:
Genius 12:
Genius 13:
Genius 14:
Genius 15:
Genius 16:
Genius 17:
Genius 18:
Genius 19:
Genius 20:
(Genius 21: )

Lemmings Plus II Bonus Pack

Trial 1: 4
Trial 2:
Trial 3:
Trial 4:
Trial 5:
Trial 6:

Challenge 1:
Challenge 2:
Challenge 3:
Challenge 4:
Challenge 5:
Challenge 6:
Challenge 7: 4

Reverse 1: 2
Reverse 2: 3
Reverse 3:
Reverse 4:
Reverse 5:
Reverse 6:

Flight 1: 7
Flight 2:
Flight 3:
Flight 4:
Flight 5:
Flight 6:
Flight 7:

Rush 1: 8
Rush 2: 60
Rush 3: 80
Rush 4:
Rush 5: 128
Rush 6: 66

Lemmings Plus III

Timid 1:
Timid 2:
Timid 3:
Timid 4:
Timid 5:
Timid 6:
Timid 7:
Timid 8:
Timid 9:
Timid 10:
Timid 11:
Timid 12:
Timid 13:
Timid 14:
Timid 15:
Timid 16:
Timid 17:

Dodgy 1:
Dodgy 2:
Dodgy 3:
Dodgy 4:
Dodgy 5:
Dodgy 6: 200
Dodgy 7:
Dodgy 8:
Dodgy 9:
Dodgy 10:
Dodgy 11:
Dodgy 12:
Dodgy 13:
Dodgy 14:
Dodgy 15:
Dodgy 16:
Dodgy 17:

Rough 1:
Rough 2:
Rough 3:
Rough 4:
Rough 5:
Rough 6: 2
Rough 7:
Rough 8:
Rough 9:
Rough 10:
Rough 11:
Rough 12:
Rough 13:
Rough 14:
Rough 15:
Rough 16:
Rough 17:

Fierce 1: 7
Fierce 2:
Fierce 3:
Fierce 4:
Fierce 5:
Fierce 6:
Fierce 7:
Fierce 8:
Fierce 9:
Fierce 10:
Fierce 11:
Fierce 12:
Fierce 13: 6
Fierce 14:
Fierce 15:
Fierce 16:
Fierce 17:

Lemmings Plus III Bonus Pack
TBA when we have at least some results

Holiday Lemmings Plus
Glimmer 1: 6
Glimmer 2: 3
Glimmer 3: 4
Glimmer 4: 6
Glimmer 5:
Glimmer 6: 9

Arctic 1:
Arctic 2:
Arctic 3:
Arctic 4:
Arctic 5:
Arctic 6:

[namida]

Just went through and did a few more of Psycho. Most interesting being 11 and 20. The variety of different solutions to 11 (I know of at least 3) allows for quite a lot of skills to be eliminated - only 2 climbers, 1 bomber and 2 builders remain in common between all solutions. During the course of finding these I also stumbled upon a 9-skill solution, based on the "bridge the gaps then go all the way with one miner" solution.

20 actually turned out to be quite fun, I expected it to be one of those hellish ones. Eventually I narrowed the skills you can't live without down to 2 climbers and 5 builders (using a slightly different route - block off the far bottom-right without using builders to do it, as well as mining off the right edge of the obstacle in the bottom middle and digbashing a bit to make it non-climber-friendly, it's two builders to get up to that, two more to get up to the next level, and one to get across to the part where the exit is at the top. You have 9 of each destructive skill, plus builders can be substituted in some cases, so eliminating those is easy, and very few if any solutions to this level use floaters or blockers in the first place - bombers are obviously not needed since it's 100%), and minimum skills to 17, though I think I may be able to improve those to 1 climber + 5 builders and 15 skills respectively.

EDIT: Psycho 20 with 1 climber confirmed. Still got to try the 15 total skills solution.
Perhaps the awesomest part is that despite using only one climber (compared to the five or so in the original solution - I don't know if I'd say "intended solution" as this is meant as one of those levels that's more open-ended as to how you solve it within the restrictions given), it STILL requires the key element of the original solution - the use of multiple lemmings working on seperate sections of the path at the same time.

[namida]

I'm honestly amazed by how backroute-proof PSYCHO 9 is - especially for a level that originally had a (by comparison) simple solution, and was only later changed to this harder one. There is *one* backroute, but it's very hard to pull off (it requires 16 skills, of which all but 4 must be placed pixel-perfect). This of course, isn't such great news for challenges like this...

I can't improve on the 16 skills variants, nor find other solutions that eliminate any of the skills used in it. The intended solution uses all of them and more. The skills are 3 bombers, 1 blocker, 9 builders and 3 bashers - this is, quite predictably, a "minimize your height then stretch bridges to go across the gap" solution, using two bombers and two bashers (I tried building and bombing away the corner, it always comes out either one pixel too short or one pixel too high).

I also tried PSYCHO 13, and this one is also quite resistant, although I did find one backroute that doesn't use any glitches. As you probably know by now, the intended solution involves sending a few lemmings along the low road to get to the other side and then solve the top road by working from both sides. My first instinct was, of course, to look for a top road solution without going along the bottom - possible, but requires glitches. Through this, I managed a 12-skill solution using 3 bombers, 4 blockers, 3 builders and 2 bashers, which seems to be the fewest skills possible. However, by using more of the other skills, as well as some climbers, an entirely low-road solution (which is also glitch free) is possible, using only one blocker. So the result for essential skills is 3 bombers, 1 blocker, 3 builders and 2 bashers, it seems.

--UPDATE-- (I see no point posting a new reply so soon)

Had a go at Psycho 28 (To The End!... you know, the long, windy, builder-heavy-looking level that doesn't give you any builders), not for minimum skills, just for the can't live without. And, well. The result is... nothing! I initially aimed to knock the skills out one at a time - so initially, my first attempt was to win without climbers. Half way through the level, I noticed I hadn't used any floaters or blockers either, so I thought, why not try and go the whole way using only the last 3 skills. So the next thing to eliminate was the basher. This was quite easily done. Next up was miners - and it wasn't too far into this I noticed hey, I've only used diggers and bashers. So sure enough, I managed to complete it using just those two. All that was left at that point was to solve without diggers, which was the hardest of these solutions, but still, where there's a will, there's (sometimes) a way. So, Psycho 28 has no skills you can't live without! I find it very unlikely that any other Psycho levels don't have at least one essential skill, so - pending that result - Psycho 28 is 56 levels away from the last level that had no specific required skills (Danger 1)!!!

I also managed to knock most skills off on Medi 27. I can't find (and very much doubt the existance of) a solution that doesn't use *any* builders, though.

-- And again! --

Okay, I've done most of Psycho now. The only ones that remain are those that look like they might be quite a pain - 22, 27 and 29. That's only for the can't live without challenge, though.

[namida]

Psycho 22 - Haven't completed it yet, but I can conclude that climbers, floaters, bombers and blockers are not needed - attached solution doesn't use climbers, bombers or blockers. It does use one floater, but it's not essential to the solution, it's only used to save 100% - the level only requires 97%.

A similar solution, but using blockers to push lemmings into terrain then making them climbers, could probably also reduce the number of builders required to 3. Minimizing destructive skills probably requires very good sliding...

[namida]

I wonder if anyone else might have more luck than me with Nice 18. I've managed to reduce the essential skills to one basher. However, the most I can save without any bashers is 70%, due to time running out (and Nice 18 is the one level in Nice that requires 100% xD).

(EDIT: Improved to 80%, but still not enough.)
(EDIT: And now improved to 95%... just one lemming short!)


EDIT: AND I GOT IT! It's literally down to the very last frame, but it works!

Eliminating any skill other than bashers on this level is trivial at worst, so I won't post the other replays.

Will continue later. Nice 19 very obviously requires at least one floater and one builder (due to the death fall at the start), not sure how possible it'll be to eliminate anything else... I have an idea to get the builders down to two, not sure how well it'll work (it majorly takes advantage of fine details in the level's terrain layout).

EDIT: Can confirm Nice 19 is possible with only floaters and builders, and can also confirm it's possible with just 1 floater (not exactly a huge acheivement), so it's just a matter of minimizing builders.

EDIT: Nice 19 with 1 builder confirmed. Holy crap, that was a pain in the ass. (1 floater, and eliminating anything other than builders/floaters, are all trivial.)



Nice 20 looks like a pain in the ass, so I went back to Nice 4 for now. I've got it down to 2 builders, though I think I can probably reduce that to 1.

AND done, reduced it to 1, using a very different solution - my first solution involved sliding, this one uses the dig-bash-dig-bash trick.



Now for actually doing Nice 20, so far I've got it down to 3 builders. I'm almost certain this can be reduced to 1 with a sliding solution. All other skills are easily ruled out.

EDIT: Confirmed with 1 builder.

[namida]

Done a few more of the can't live withouts.

Nice 21 is surprisingly, none of them. Replay without builders attached, eliminating any other skill is fairly easy.

Cheeky 5 surprisingly, the hardest part was eliminating the diggers. I can't find any way to eliminate the last basher, though, it seems at least one basher is needed.

Another one of interest is Cheeky 14, where by taking advantage of the exact layout of the terrain, it's possible to complete the level with only 4 builders. Might possibly be a way to do 3 with a slide or reverse-dig-bash trick, but without blockers I don't see any way to acheive that without using at least 4 builders anyway (which can be done without using such tricks)....

[Proxima]

Cheeky 5 can be done with no bashers. Replay attached. (By the way, Akseli's replay was already a no-digger solution.)
Cheeky 6 can be done with two builders. No replay, this is easy http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

[namida]

Ah nice! Can't believe I overlooked that on Cheeky 6... that one for Cheeky 5 was pretty impressive, though.
Found another one that I don't know how I overlooked before. Nice 12 with 2 builders. I don't think it's possible to eliminate that last basher...

Did some more minimum skills. Nice 21 seems to be that the obvious route to the lower-left is more efficient than any fancy solution.

Skipping ahead a bit, I managed to get the timing right on Cheeky 17 to use only three builders. It's actually not that tricky. Since the level only *gives* you builders, that answers both challenges.

[Nepster]

The past days I had some waiting to do and decided to determine some skill values for the remaining three Psycho-levels. As they come with an abundance of terrain removal skills, one should not be surprised that only very view skills are actually necessary. In detail:

Psycho 22: 2 Builders
After namida's work, only builders, bashers, miners and diggers were left. Removing bashers and miners is rather easy. Replays for no diggers and only two builders are attached. Nothing special with these solutions - just awfully precise terrain removal.
Slightly off-topic: I watched namida's no-climber solution for this level. But I wonder what kind of game machanics transports these three lemmings to the top of the screen?

Medi 28 (the easy version of Psycho 22): 2 Climbers, 1 Builder
Doing Psycho 22 convinced me that Medi 28 should be improvable on climbers. But actually doing so turned out to be one of the worst ideas I ever had. Just watch the replay.
Btw. it can easily solved using only 24 skills in total.

Psycho 27: 2 Builders, 1 Basher
Floaters, blockers, bombers and diggers are easily removed. The solution removing climbers and miners is (of course) a backroute, using a basher-stair on the left. The same goes for the solution with only 2 builders. Surprisingly reducing bashers works less well using the backroute (I only got down to 3 or so). So one has to adapt the intended solution.

Psycho 29: 1 Builder
Floaters and bombers are trivially discarded. The attached solution without miners can easily be turned into a solution without blockers. Alternatively one may replace both bashers with miners, removing the bashers from the skill list. Now only climbers, builders and diggers remain. Each of those has a replay attached.
This even improves on Danger 20 (No salvation IV).


Furthermore I noted some more levels, which could probably be improved (though I haven't checked yet):
Medi 6: Are all the terrain removal skills really needed?
Medi 23: 3 builders? Even less??
Medi 30: The blocker should be removable.
Danger 2: Not for improvement, but: How do 1 floater and 14 builders in the min. skill list fit with a minimum of 14 for total skills?
Danger 12: Just looks improvable.
Danger 16: Do we really need 4 bombers?
Danger 19: Are all the terrain removal skills really needed?
Danger 23: Where do we need the digger?
Psycho 5: What happens if you use the turning lemmings to bash away 6 pixels on the left?
Psycho 13: Why the blocker and bombers?

[namida]

I could swear I replied to this... I definitely updated the charts. I didn't look into those other ones you suggested yet, though.

Anyway, I just finished optimizing the % saved on Cunning 4... however, it's quite easy to see that minimum skills, can't live without and maximum percentage are all very closely related, due to the level design and the only skills being bombers. So, minimum skills is 11, can't live without is 11 Bombers.

Without actually testing, but just going from memory / past attempts, in relation to those ones you're suggesting. First thing is, a lot of the time, I've simply used the intended solution (perhaps combined with other obvious solutions, or other people's replays) to give a "baseline" figure, especially with the levels that don't have much room for variety. That aside;
Medi 6: Are all the terrain removal skills really needed?
>> You have to free two blockers (100% requirement) and there's nowhere you can do it without a basher as the level doesn't give any builders. The two miners are critical to making the path. The diggers also factor into freeing the blockers - although I think with careful placement of the top blocker, and using a miner for freeing the bottom one, it might be possible to knock the digger off. Also, don't hold your breath, but I have a thought on how I might be able to knock off one blocker.
Medi 23: 3 builders? Even less??
>> You're right, 3 builders should be very easily doable, using a trick similar to what I did in the official replay for Medi 12. I doubt less than that, though.
Medi 30: The blocker should be removable.
>> I'm not sure about this one. If a direct drop was possible, then yes, the blocker could easily be removed, but the level is pretty much perfectly designed so a direct drop is not an option. If 7 builders and 3 bashers can be done with only one blocker, it might be possible to knock the blocker off, I can't remember whether I got all that in one solution or spread over multiple...
Danger 2: Not for improvement, but: How do 1 floater and 14 builders in the min. skill list fit with a minimum of 14 for total skills?
>> It's a mistake. Minimum skills should be 15. 1 Floater + 14 Builders is possible, I just doublechecked, but I'm almost certain it can't be improved on.
Danger 12: Just looks improvable.
>> It can be improved to 10 climbers and 1 digger. I have a starting point idea for how it might be improvable to only 2 (or maybe 3) climbers, but - I actually had a go - I can't pull it off.
Danger 16: Do we really need 4 bombers?
>> The two solutions I'm aware of - either use bombers to create a hole in the wall to shorten the fall, in which case you need 4 to shorten the fall enough; or use two climb bombers to make spaces for two builders to make "steps", in which case you also need to bomb a blocker holding back the crowd and another blocker to turn the workers around.
Danger 19: Are all the terrain removal skills really needed?
>> Are you thinking of the wrong level? This doesn't use that many. I'm also fairly sure I tried just about everything on this one.
Danger 23: Where do we need the digger?
>> You don't. My intended solution replay doesn't even use it IIRC; at any rate, a very simple modification of the intended solution can get rid of it. >_> Good spotting.
Psycho 5: What happens if you use the turning lemmings to bash away 6 pixels on the left?
>> You're welcome to try. I tried doing this for the purpose of saving extra lemmings (with no success), but I haven't tried doing it to minimize bashers. :/
Psycho 13: Why the blocker and bombers?
>> This is one of the ones where I've mostly just used known solutions as a baseline rather than put effort into optimizing, I think.

[namida]

Some LPDOS improvements:

Danger 4 - Improved to 7 builders. See replay.
Danger 5 - Found a solution without using a blocker, and another with only one builder.
Danger 7 - Found a solution with no floaters. Interestingly, there are two cases where a glitch is not directly used, but rather, active measures have to be taken to avoid it. (There's also one where a glitch is simply used. xD) Solved it without bashers too, that one's fairly simple so no replay (also because attachment limit).

In other news, Cheeky 15 is a f***ing b****... I had an ALMOST-perfect 1 climber and 1 bomber solution (hadn't considered other skills yet). It can be done with 2 of each though. Haven't really tried minimizing the rest yet.

[Nepster]

As you seem still interested in this challenge, I went through Medi today.

Medi 6: It can be solved without diggers and one needs only one basher. I originally hoped to remove one miner as well, but that seems to require at least one (and likely two) more basher(s).
Medi 16: Improved on climbers, blockers and miners with only one solution, so I guess this approach is pretty new.
Medi 23: 3 builders confirmed (but no replay attached as this is indeed easy).
Medi 26: Nothing! Removing the last builder was a chore and nothing you want to watch or try for yourself.
Medi 30: Seems you haven't considered it all http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/winktounge.gif" alt=";P" title="Wink-Tongue" class="smiley" />. I got it down to no blocker, 3 builders and 1 basher.

I saw, you updated the values for Psycho 30 to include my steel-bashing solution. It isn't hard to modify it in order to remove climbers, builders or miners. If you want, I can upload replays of such solutions.

First thing is, a lot of the time, I've simply used the intended solution to give a "baseline" figure, especially with the levels that don't have much room for variety.

 
If you really did only this, your "baseline" values are very impressive. For several of them I have no idea how you got them.

Finally a completely unrelated remark @namida: CustLemmix with its frame-by-frame advance feature proves very useful during backrouting my own created levels, because it's now much more convenient to check out whether some approaches, which are hard to execute, indeed work. Thanks for making CustLemmix!

[namida]

Impressive solutions. I'm going to try and fill in more blanks on LPII before working on improving existing ones.

Cheeky 15: Here's the 2 climber, 2 bomber solution. Uses two bashers; can easily be adapted to use one instead by using an extra bomber. Might be possible to reduce builders further?
Cheeky 16: I very much doubt it's possible to solve without using all the skills.
Cheeky 17: 3 builders. Quite simple. I had mistakenly listed this under Cheeky 18 for some reason.
Cheeky 18: 5 builders is minimum to cross the gap; achieving this is trivial. Eliminating climbers and floaters is also trivial, and it's 100% so bombers aren't useful in the first place. Eliminating blockers is not as trivial, but still too simple to need a replay. I'm not too sure of how to go about trying to remove the basher or digger, though.
Cheeky 19: Official solution uses 2 climbers, 1 floater, 1 bomber, 1 blocker and 5 bashers. 100%able, so obviously can be done without bombers. Attached are a solution with no climbers or floaters, and a solution with no blockers. The third basher in the former can easily be dropped (he serves no real purpose; I didn't realise at first the fall would still be safe even if the builder finishes), thus meaning the minimum bashers seems to be two.
Cheeky 20: Official uses 2 Climbers, 1 Bomber, 1 Blocker, 7 Builders, 1 Basher and 3 Miners. This doesn't seem to flexible, but one builder can be substituted with a climber and a bomber, and the blocker can be substituted in several ways (2 bombers, or 2 bashers + 2 diggers, or 1 digger + 1 builder). No need for replays, these are all pretty simple variations on the intended solution.

[namida]

Some new ones. I won't upload any replays unless I think they're really impressive, but I've noted which ones I've made replays of, feel free to ask if you want to see any.

Sneaky 1: Anything other than builders is easy. It's possible with just the two builders needed to get up to the higher platform. I have a replay of the 2 builder solution.

Sneaky 2: Official solution gives 2 Climbers, 1 Blocker, 4 Builders, 6 Bashers, 6 Diggers. I've attached a replay that reduces that to 4 each of bashers and diggers; a very simple change to this replay using more diggers and bashers instead allows you to do it with 3 builders. It might be possible to improve further with a sliding solution but... screw that...

Sneaky 3: Eliminating Floaters, Bombers, Blockers, Miners and Diggers are all easy enough. Minimum builders is 4, this isn't too hard to achieve. No climbers is mostly trivial, though a bit harder than the others. No bashers is a pain in the ass, but possible, replay attached. (I also have the no climbers replay saved if you want it.)

Sneaky 4: Can be solved using builders only (replay available), so it's just a matter of minimizing those. Best I can do is 2 (replay attached), by sliding.

[Nepster]

Going through Danger and Psycho (and revisiting the Oddstack) turned up some more improvements (even for max saved). Most replays are only attached for the sake of completeness as the solutions require either glitches or much precision (or both). Nevertheless there is one solution, I recommend to try to find for yourself before watching the replay: Circular Wavelength (Danger 15) with only 2 climbers.

Medi 16: 1 climber, 3 builders, 1 bomber, 97%. I really didn't expect this level to have so many different solutions.
Danger 12: 9 climbers, 1 builder, no basher.
Danger 15: 2 climbers, 1 builder, 97%.
Danger 16: 2 bombers, 90%.
Danger 19: no miner and no digger. This turned out to be much harder than I expected (even after namida's warning).
Danger 28: 3 bashers. What is the solution without any builder?
Psycho 2: 2 builders, no basher. The solution with 2 builders can easily be turned into one without the basher.
Psycho 5: 20 bashers. I haven't fully analyzed this, so 20 bashers might not be final.
Psycho 11: no climber, no builder. So far I have only succeeded to save 65% without bombers...
Psycho 13: no blocker and no bomber.
Psycho 24: no bomber, 3 builders, 1 basher, no digger. The digger in the replay can be replaced by the bomber.
(any skills I did not mention above are not improved)